Margaret Ball

Margaret Ball and Francis Taylor statue in Dublin

Margaret Ball (born around 1515 in Skreen , County Meath , † 1584 in Dublin Castle ) was an Irish martyr who was beatified in 1992 .

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Early years

Margaret Ball was born Margaret Bermingham in Skreen, County Meath around 1515 . At the age of 16 she married Bartholomew Ball , a wealthy merchant and councilor from Dublin , and moved there with him immediately in 1530. The marriage resulted in ten children, but only five of them reached adulthood. From 1553 to 1554 her husband was Mayor of Dublin . At that time this was still possible for a Catholic . This was to change after Elizabeth I ascended the throne .

Both Margaret and her husband were steadfast followers of the Catholic faith who were also actively religious. Margaret held masses in her home, had her own chaplain with whom she studied catechisms , and met like-minded people in her home for study and devotion.

Increasing conflict with the authorities

Due to the influence of her husband, she had a certain immunity and was able to pursue her belief relatively free from reprisals . However, when her husband died in 1573, that was to change. In the 1570s, she and a priest were arrested while mass was being held in their home. Both were then imprisoned for a short time. Once again in freedom, she immediately began to live out her faith. She ignored the possible consequences for herself. After the Viscount Baltinglass and Baron Nugent rebellion in 1580, the authorities increased their attention, as many Catholic traders in Dublin had supplied the rebels with supplies and were jailed as a result. Even under these circumstances, Margaret Ball was largely ignored by the relevant authorities. On the one hand she was a woman, on the other hand she belonged to a wealthy and influential family.

This should change due to the political ambitions of their eldest son Walter . He wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and also become mayor of Dublin. For this it was necessary to renounce the Catholic faith and to recognize the Supreme Act . His mother was very upset when she found out about his plans and tried to change his mind. But none of the bishops, priests or scholars whom she took to help could convince him to give up his political ambitions for the benefit of his soul. This led to a lasting alienation between the two. In 1577 he was appointed Commissioner for Ecclesiastical Causes . Margaret Ball, however, often invited her son so that he could come into contact with bishops and priests who sought refuge there. Margaret Ball hoped to induce him to convert. However, these meetings also resulted in Walter obtaining information about clerics wanted by the authorities.

Arrest and death

Shortly after his appointment as Mayor of Dublin in 1580, he had his mother and her chaplain arrested. The reason for this was the accommodation of clergy and the holding of masses. Before she was imprisoned in Dublin Castle, she was carted through the streets of Dublin for the amusement of the people. There she spent the rest of her life. If she had renounced her belief, which she refused, she would have been released. After her death she was buried next to her husband in the cemetery of St. Auden's Church in Dublin.

Aftermath

Margaret Ball is counted among the Irish Martyrs. As such, she was among 17 selected Irish martyrs who were beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 27, 1992 . Irish Martyrs' Remembrance Day is June 20th.

literature

• Corish, Patrick J. (ed.). The Irish martyrs. Dublin: Four Courts, 2005. ISBN 1856074978

Web links

• Biography (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Bartholomew Ball on thepeerage.com , accessed August 19, 2015.
2. ↑ http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20020527_saints-jp-ii_it.html#1992